problem with shortcut link: shortcut won’t be deleted

[ChrisGreaves]

This is not a critical issue. I have enough money in my savings account to buy one of those Apple iPads.
This isn’t a question about MalwareBytes; it is a question about my inability to delete a shortcut.

I installed the application late last week, and this weekend I wanted to delete the shortcut link from my uncluttered desktop screen. I keep all shortcut links to maintenance tools in a folder “\Maint\”.
To my surprise I could not delete the shortcut link.

I tried at least:-
(1) The DELete key on the keyboard
(2) Right-click and choose Delete
(3) Right-click, Properties, in case the shortcut link was set to read-only
(4) DOS prompt and the good old “ –s –h –r “ trick with the Attrib command
(5) I even tried using the Attrib command to interrogate the file (the RTFM approach)
(6) I stopped when I tripped over the “I” attribute

I am interested in hearing from anyone who thinks that they have a solution to this problem.
I *though* that I had Administrator privileges when I re-installed a couple of months ago. I am the sole user of this cruddy DELL 2GB/2GHz Win7HP laptop with no “Break” key.
In anticipation
I am
Yours sincerely
"As Usual" of Toronto

[Rudi]

Try to right click on your desktop and choose "refresh."
(Or reboot your PC) and check if its gone.

Another option to try if other advice fails is Unlocker.
This app has worked for me in the before.

[ChrisGreaves]

Hi Rudi, and thanks for these straws ...

Try to right click on your desktop and choose "refresh."

Tried that (just now) and then tried to delete.

MalwareBytes01.png

I neglected to place this image in my original post. Here is where the trouble started: I was in a file-searching utility "Everything" after trying to delete the link with a simple DELete key on the desktop. The DOS window shows my attempts with attribute bits.

MalwareBytes02.png

So I have walked up to the library (hence a reboot) and tried again. (I carved a chunk out of the image to get to <256KB)

(Or reboot your PC) and check if its gone.

Another option to try if other advice fails is Unlocker. This app has worked for me in the before.

I remember this cute little devil. Very effective. I have d/l and installed, to no apparent effect:-

MalwareBytes03.png

Now i don't see any "Unlocker-like" function when I r/c on the annoying shortcut link, but it has to be at least five years since last I looked at Unlocker. Am I missing something?

I do remember Unlocker fondly. It was very effective.

I suspect that my real concern with this shortcut link that I am, in theory, protecting my computer from Bad Things Happening, and waddyaknow, something Bad appears to have happened (sad grin)
Thanks for the input.
Truly this is not critical, just a puzzle to me right now.

I have installed many applications, and usually remember to uncheck the box "place shortcut on desktop".
If the application is new to me, I let the installer place the shortcut link on the desktop, and then move the link into my \Maint\ folder.

This is the first time I have had a problem deleting a link from the desktop.

Chris

[Rudi]

Hi Chris,

Looks like this shortcut needs to be deleted from Malware Bytes settings. One is not able to remove any files related to Malware Bytes when the self-protection module in Advanced Settings is enabled. See this video...

[BobArch2]

How about uninstalling MB, which should remove the desktop shortcut. Run CCleaner, including perhaps the registry cleaner feature and reinstall MB. Just a thought...

[BobArch2]

Just noticed you are using the wild card notation to try and delete the "lnk" file. Why not try your DOS COMMAND approach and key in the fully qualified name. You would need to include quotes around the fully qualified name because of the spaces, but I know you know that.

[ChrisGreaves]

... Advanced Settings is enabled. See this video...

Hi Rudi, and thanks for tracking down this video.
The story so far ... Our Gallant hero has checked and found that he DOES have Administrator privileges (such a Control Freak!) since his day of installation.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch ...

I watched the mercifully short video, went into Advanced settings and unchecked the "self protection", exited MWB, reloaded MWB, verified that the self-protection mode was checked OFF, exited MWB, and tried the DEL key again.

Nope. I, the self-administered Administrator, still need Administrator privileges. Which Windows and I know I've got.

So then I pre-empted part of Hans's BobArch's (sorry Bob!) suggestion and RevoUninstalled MWB ("Select All, Delete, Yes I'm sure of THIS one!") and behold and Lo! the shortcut link is gone.

So far so good.
Now I am sitting here wondering whether I want to Ally with an application that is actually more paranoid than am I.
So I have not (yet) re-installed this version of MWB.

I might drop back to an earlier version.
I might just rely on Windows Defender.

I have learned that MWB has taken itself out of the league of 3rd-party end-user appplications and has insinuated itself into the part-of-the-operating-system class of wannabes.

I understand that reasoning.
I'm just not sure that i want to relinquish that much control of my little laptop desktop screen.

Coupled with that: I can't see why Deleting or Moveing a shortcut link (as distinct from un-installing the carmen program) helps in any way to protect my system from nastyware.

Thanks again, Rudi
"Still Seething" of Toronto (grin)

[ChrisGreaves]

Just noticed you are using the wild card notation to try and delete the "lnk" file. Why not try your DOS COMMAND approach and key in the fully qualified name. You would need to include quotes around the fully qualified name because of the spaces, but I know you know that.

Hi Bob, and thanks for both these suggestions.

Regarding using the fully-qualified name and other bits and pieces, prior to my post I had tried deleting the link along various avenues ("Everything", Windows Explorer, DOS prompt etc.) and so IF I reinstall MWB I will try using the full name of the link.

Above that is the sort-of-unanswered question "How do I delete recalcitrant shortcut links".
Right now I have a solution for one shortcut link ("Uninstall the offending/offensive application) but not a general solution for all or other shortcut links.

It almost makes me want to reinstall MWB to check your specific solution.
But then I'd want to find another tenacious application to see if your solution worked on that one too, but the sun is shining, and there are books to read, and from time to time I ask myself why I am asking others to solve my problems which (problems) are brought about by applications that are supposed to be solving my problems!

I know you understand that line of reasoning!

cheers
Chris

[BobArch2]

It almost makes me want to reinstall MWB to check your specific solution.

Hi Chris,

Like you, I prefer an uncluttered desktop. I created one folder on my desktop called, wait for it, Desktop Tasks. If a new desktop shortcut icon appears when I install a new app, I right click and move the offending shortcut icon to the Desktop Tasks folder. This leaves my desktop view with less than 6 icons allowing my wallpaper to provide visual relief.

This is the step I invoked when I installed Malwarebytes and it leaves the desktop uncluttered.

[ChrisGreaves]

I right click and move the offending shortcut icon to the Desktop Tasks folder.

Me too, but Bob, in the case of MWB, the r/c delete took no effect (except to tell me to become and Administrator, which i already am)

... This leaves my desktop view with less than 6 icons allowing my wallpaper to provide visual relief

Six?
Bob, aren't you being a bit excessive?
(signed) "Throwing in the towel" of the nineteenth arrondissement

[Rudi]

Strange wallpaper? Someone is running around naked?!

[BobArch2]

Me too, but Bob, in the case of MWB, the r/c delete took no effect (except to tell me to become and Administrator, which i already am)

You have another shortcut on your desktop called Resources. Perhaps that one is protected and your attempt to do a global delete failed because of that item.

Again, I used a move, not a delete command.
Again(2) perhaps attempting to delete in command using the fully-qualified name would meet your objective.
Again (3) I really would try the move

[BobArch2]

Strange wallpaper? Someone is running around naked?!

Nah. Chris stripped down and went for a swim in the sewer.

[ChrisGreaves]

Strange wallpaper? Someone is running around naked?!

Well, it is the nineteenth ...

[ChrisGreaves]

You have another shortcut on your desktop called Resources. Perhaps that one is protected and your attempt to do a global delete failed because of that item. Again, I used a move, not a delete command.

Thanks Bob.
The "resources" icon is just the Recycle bin renamed. I'm picky about Recycling.

And yes, I did try the Move (drag, cut/paste, etc).
I've spent 30 years playing with shortcut links: on the desktop, in folders, searching for, following and creating in WordVBA etc.

This is the first time I can recall being unable to do ANYthing with a shortcut link.

It seems to me that MalwareBytes has a trick that MSWindows recognizes and obeys, a trick beyond the reach of mere mortals.
That one is supposed to enter MWB to effect the removal tells us that no ordinary Windows method will work!
Cheers
Chris

[Jay Freedman]

Chris, MalwareBytes is used to dealing with -- yup -- malware. If some smartalec hacker could sneak a malicious program onto your computer and modify the MalwareBytes icon to run that program instead, you know where the blame would land. So besides protecting its core code, MWB protects its icon. The only way to change or delete the icon (at least, I hope it's the only way) is to turn off MWB's self-protection temporarily.

[BobArch2]

Hey Der Chris, I could not leave your issue alone so decided to do some testing.

For starters, I am using Windows 10 not Windows 7. Meaning, I do not know if this has any bearings to your icon delete issue. Shall we continue?

My MWB icon was buried in my Desktop Tasks folder. I copied it back to the desktop and was able to delete it. With a cautionary note. Which differed from your cautionary note.

2017-07-15_14-02-04.jpg

The delete worked fine.

Onward and upwards... I uninstalled MWB and then ran CCleaner along with its Registry Cleaner component and rebooted the system. Just to make sure all MWB residual stuff was gone.

Then downloaded a fresh version of MWB v3.1.2.1733 install it and changed the setting to convert it from a Premium Trial app to the version.

I then tried deleting the desktop icon in the customary method of RC and select delete. No issues. Restored the icon to the desktop. Then went into CMD as Administrator, located the shortcut and was able to delete it.

2017-07-15_13-57-04.jpg

Two observations, 1) the shortcut name (lnk) is different from yours and 2) the delete function did not move the file to the Recycle Bin.

I located the MWB app and reset the desktop shortcut.

In summary, everything worked as expected. Perhaps your issue might be associated with an older version of MWB? Just making this comment based on the different file names of our shortcuts.

Over to you...

[viking33]

BobArch2 & Chris,
Just to jump in here for a bit.
I am using mostly Win 7 & occasionally Win 10 and I have most all of my desktop shortcuts stored in Desktop folders to eliminate the clutter.
I followed your methods to move a MWB shortcut to the desktop. I was able to delete it to the recycle bin without issues and able to empty the bin, no problem. I am using the latest version of MWB as you, Bob.

I didn't notice what version you have, Chris.
I do not see any self protection given to MWB on my system either.

[Argus]

I didn't notice what version you have, Chris.
I do not see any self protection given to MWB on my system either.

Are you using the free version of Malwarebytes, Bob? The self-protection module is part of the Premium, non-free, version.

I don't understand why the thread goes on, a solution has been posted; unless I've missed something and Chris is running the free version.

OT: there can be other complaints about latest versions of MWB, than the "problems" with removing an icon. Lack of details about signature version/date. It says "current", but can be several days old.

Since the free version doesn't have real time protection there is no need to let it start with Windows, i.e. it is an on demand tool. Yet, when you start it to do a scan it puts mbamtray.exe in the, eh, tray, and to close the tray app you'll have to jump through an UAC dialogue, and at least on my PC, that UAC dialogue/prompt is minimised to the Taskbar every now and then. Quite annoying.

[viking33]

I didn't notice what version you have, Chris.
I do not see any self protection given to MWB on my system either.

Are you using the free version of Malwarebytes, Bob? The self-protection module is part of the Premium, non-free, version.

I don't understand why the thread goes on, a solution has been posted; unless I've missed something and Chris is running the free version.

OT: there can be other complaints about latest versions of MWB, than the "problems" with removing an icon. Lack of details about signature version/date. It says "current", but can be several days old.

Since the free version doesn't have real time protection there is no need to let it start with Windows, i.e. it is an on demand tool. Yet, when you start it to do a scan it puts mbamtray.exe in the, eh, tray, and to close the tray app you'll have to jump through an UAC dialogue, and at least on my PC, that UAC dialogue/prompt is minimised to the Taskbar every now and then. Quite annoying.

I do have the free version and it does fine by me. I also have UAC disabled.